Eikev – “Do or Do Not, There is No Try” is Wrong.
Is there a mitzvah that you’re supposed to spend your entire life trying to fulfill, knowing you’ll never fully achieve it? That’s the question that drew me into Parshas Eikev.
Category Archives: Deuteronomy/Devarim
Why Moses Couldn’t Enter Israel and Why the Temple Had to Be Destroyed
The destruction of the Temple is one of the greatest tragedies in Jewish history. But what if it was also a spiritual necessity?
Why the Real Miracle Is Deciding to Keep Going
Forty years in the desert, and only then do the Israelites finally ‘get it.’ Not at Sinai. Not after the Red Sea. Only after decades of routine. Turns out the real miracle isn’t fireworks — it’s sticking with it when you don’t feel it.
The One Word that Transforms Prayer: Why God’s Return Depends on You
Does Hashem really care about you? The Piacezna Rebbe says yes — and the proof is hidden in a single Hebrew word: “Ata” (You). Every time you pray, that word makes God present in a way that only you can reveal. Your struggles, your honesty, your teshuvah — they’re not just personal, they literally shape how God is revealed in the world.
From Oedipus to Terminator: Why the Torah Says You Shouldn’t Outsmart the Future
Oedipus, Terminator, Harry Potter — all show how trying to outsmart the future backfires. Shoftim says the same: “Be tamim with Hashem.” The real freedom isn’t knowing tomorrow — it’s trusting today.
Why the Torah Says a Positive Outlook Won’t Fix Real Problems
Gratitude is easy. Action is hard. That’s why the Torah insists that seeing blessing means being a blessing.
Fear of God: The Opposite of What Dictators Demand
When most people hear “fear of God,” they picture the same fear dictators like Putin or Kim Jong Un demand — the kind that crushes thought and freedom. But what if the Torah’s fear of God is the opposite — a force that empowers, enlightens, and sets you free?
Do the Ten Commandments Contradict Themselves in Va’eschanan?
In Parshat Yisro, we’re told to keep Shabbat because God created the world. But in Va’eschanan, we’re told it’s because we were taken out of Egypt. Why the shift? Is this a contradiction—or something deeper?
You Had to Be There: Moshe’s Final Rebuke and the Cost of Absence
When I first moved to LA, I worked at a reality TV company. A client hated one of our segments, ironically, the part they had pushed for. Furious, they demanded […]
Reading Shoftim at Jury Duty — By Ben
I find it interesting that during the week of the Torah portion of Shoftim, literally judges, I happen to be at the LA county courthouse for jury duty. Clearly Hashem […]
Six Degrees Of Kosher Bacon 